As Balatro has several different decks that change the core features of a run, it’s challenging to develop a universal strategy. However, there are consistent pitfalls to avoid and good things that always matter, and we’ll focus on that. If you’re looking for some help making builds and succeeding in Balatro, we’ve got you covered.
Best Balatro Strategies
As said, every Balatro deck offers a different challenge, which grows as you unlock new Stake difficulties. Even with that, some play methods can help you reach higher Ante levels.
Ignore Static Mult Jokers
Considering you’re unlikely to get more than seven Jokers at a time (if that), it’s better to stick to Jokers that offer an expanding or at least double-digit Mult. While all Mult definitely adds up at score calculation, low Mult won’t help with higher score requirements. The Jokers that give individual Mult bonuses per card depending on suit or value are slightly different. However, they are only truly useful in the lower Antes.
The Jokers you want to add to your roster are the ones that grow in Mult without being too restrictive on what you have to do in trade. The Green Joker is the best for these, as it only gets stronger in Mult if you don’t discard anything, and you can’t lose the built-up Mult all at once. If you know you will win a round no matter what, you can boost this Joker by making a couple of extra hands, and you get free extra Mult.
Tags Are Never Worth It
Never skip any blind in a round, as there aren’t any Tags worth losing money for for the chance to buy something in the shop. They can be tempting, and there is even one that will make all initial cards and packs in the shop for free. Unless your Joker loadout is established well enough, you can win against the upcoming Boss Blind; it will only negatively impact you.
One of the best Jokers in the game is the Red Card Joker, which increases your Mult by three every time you close a Booster Pack without choosing anything. If you have this, skipping the shop only means you will directly cost yourself future points.
Always Try For A Flush Or Better
Getting a Flush is relatively easy as you get eight cards (at the start) to make your hand. A Flush is when all five cards selected follow the same suit. You can always buy Tarot cards or more playing cards to expand your deck further with a certain suit. Due to the Mult and Chips for different hand types, a Flush is always a good goal. You should also focus on Jupiter when selecting Celestial Packs, as it will upgrade their rewards.
Don’t Waste Discards
This is perhaps the best advice I’ve got because a discard can be the one thing you need in a pinch, and not having any can sink you. Instead, if you still have a pair that will score decently due to your Jokers, add three cards along with it. You can use your played hand as a free discard. You have to be extremely careful with this because if you don’t quite have the spread to slightly waste a hand, it could hurt worse than a misused discard, but it’s a solid option if you can swing it.
Though several decks will force you to adjust, using these tips in your Balatro strategy should always help you come out on top. If you think of any tips we should add, please share them in the comments.
